This past week we had a really close call. Our youngest son, Derek, has autism, as do his two older brothers. But Derek is different, in that he seems to be more severe, and he has bio-medical issues they don’t. We live on a very busy two-lane state highway, frequented by everything from tractor-trailers and dump trucks to Harley clubs and rocket bikes. Although our house is on about eight acres, our front door is only a few yards from the highway.
We have worked with Derek over the last couple years to know the boundaries that he cannot pass. At first we considered a fence – but the only fence that could physically contain Derek would be an eight foot chain link fence – maybe with concertina wire on top. Which of course would not be cheap, legal or attractive. So we ended up buying a lot of surveyors fluorescent tape, and stringing it all around the house. This worked for a while – as long as the tape was there – Derek knew he would be in big trouble if he crossed it. We even took it with us on camping trips – stringing it all around our campsite – to keep Derek from wandering off into the woods and injuring bears or something.
But of course plastic tape does not last very long out in the weather, and last year – just three days before my wife and I were about to leave the kids with Grandma next door and take off for a week at the Gideon Conference – Derek spotted the old stock pond through the trees. The tape was down, and when my ever-vigilant wife went to do her every-five-minutes check on Derek – she found him up to his chest in the pond. Not good. So I and my two teenage kids had three days to clear the brush and trees from around the pond, and put up an electric fence around the pond. And if you haven’t been around electric fences lately – don’t worry – they’re all toddler safe now. If you’re wearing rubber-soled shoes you almost cannot feel the shock.
After this incident – as far as we can tell – Derek has not tried to go near the pond again. A couple of times he has been playing in the front yard, a little closer to the road than he should be, but he has never actually gone in the road. So on this Sunday afternoon, my wife and I were in the front room watching a short video. Derek had gone outside to play a few minutes earlier, when we heard a knock at the door. I answered it, and there was a very shaken young lady standing there with Derek. She said he was out in the middle of the highway.
So now it’s back to chain-locking both doors of the house (do you have any idea how frustrating that it to deal with when you’re going in and out a lot?). Back to someone always having to be on guard duty when Derek is outside. And he’s been know to escape out a window with a six foot drop to the ground… And I’m trying to decide if the expense and effort of putting up a decorative fence (the only kind that’s legal) in front of the house is worth it – just to have some kind of physical reminder for him. I’m sure some people would reflexively respond that any expense is worth it, for your child’s safety. But as other parent’s of autistic children know – that money might do Derek more good being spent on doctor’s fees, therapy or nutritional supplements.
So anyway, we’ve been consulting with a doctor at a clinic in Austin TX that specializes in treating children on the autistic spectrum. He has recommended several things for Derek that have made a night and day difference, and he thinks that some of Derek’s crazy behavior is actually due to a severe yeast problem, and the lab tests bear that out. There are natural remedies for this – but kids with severe yeast problems usually need prescription meds to beat it. Unfortunately this doctor cannot write prescriptions for Derek without seeing him in person – so tomorrow morning we’re driving to Austin (a two day drive – two long days), we’ll see the doctor Monday morning, and then it’s two days drive back home. We’re taking Derek and his brother Jimmie, but we’ve farmed the two older kids out to relatives – so at least my wife and I should have plenty of time to talk!
